Welcome!
I'm Frugal Trenches (no, not my real name!) a lover of natural, simple and frugal living! I use this space and my camera to document a beautiful, purposeful, downshifted and abundant life! Life is not always simple (oh how I wish it was!) but it is always rich and I hope this space demonstrates beauty and joy!
If you have a question, feel free to leave it in the comments! I read and appreciate every comment and will reply to questions within the comment section, even if it takes a day or two (or three, but whose counting!).
Archives
Money Spent On Groceries in 2013
January $198.39
February $231.88
March $248.71
April $Books Read in 2013
Myself
Fiction:
1.The Help
2. Away
3. Flowers For Algernon
4. Animal Farm
5. Room
6. The Secret DaughterNon-Fiction:
1.The Two Nazanins
2.Confessions Of A Bad Beekeeper
3.The Encouraging Parent
4.Freakonomics
5.Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal?
6.Raising A Right Brained Child In A Left Brained World
7.How To Make Your Child A Reader For Life
8.The Bookseller of Kabul
9.The Sane Woman's Guide To Raising A Large FamilyDaughter Grade 3 (Chapter Books)
Stanley's Christmas Adventure
George's Marvelous Medicine
Sarah Plain and Tall
Ramona Books x 5
Road To Avonlea Chapter Books x 3
Junie B Jones Chapter Books x 6
James and The Giant Peach
Freckle Juice
Reader Level 4 Books x 9Son Grade 1 (Picture Books)
January: 62 books
February: 73 books
March: 95 books
April: 89 books
Category Archives: Be Part Of The Solution Not The Problem
Hospital Parking Fees: An Issue Of Health Inequity
As is well-documented in this space, I adopted two children with special needs. Both are followed by 2+ departments at local hospitals and adding in physiotherapy and occupational therapy, I would say that on average, we have five appointments a month … Continue reading
Our Community Garden Year 1 – With Children
Last summer we were very blessed to receive a plot in a community garden in the area we wanted to live. At the time we were living about 40-60 minutes away, waiting and hoping to be able to move. The … Continue reading
Our Best Activity So Far This Week
Lately I’ve ended each day asking my children a couple of philosophy type questions like “how do you know you are awake” and “what is the purpose of life”. Their faces are precious as I ask what they see as “very … Continue reading
When The World Hurts: Sharing Burdens
Friday night we said a prayer as a family for a man somewhere in Ontario who had called in the CBC Radio program Ontario Today and shared a story about his little boy’s love for lego. I could tell where the … Continue reading
31 Days Of Nothing (Excess)
I mentioned one of my major goals for 2013 was for my family to be involved in a 31 days of nothing project (though personally, I think it isn’t right to call it “nothing” because if you have food you … Continue reading
Merriment
There was no big tree (we did have a 3 foot “elf” tree purchased for $20 and donned with fairtrade ornaments), minimal decorations (a collection of four trees made from repurposed metal from a local barn, some ruby red beads on the … Continue reading
Slowly
Thank you for all your kind comments, and advice. In all my years of nannying and fostering, well I never once encountered life when children have the stomach flu. Oh, it was a rude awakening. I’m amazed at how right you all … Continue reading
On My Mind
Poverty. During an exhausting week, when there was much on my mind here (note, I was far too self focused), I took a moment to put Frontline on late yesterday evening and watched Poor Kids. An excellent documentary about children growing … Continue reading

